# What non-modified street legal car goes the fastest in reverse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2026, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903 "2026-03-31T11:05:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/1 "2026-03-31T11:05:01Z")
I am looking for a straight off of a production line, non-modified car, of which at least a thousand were made, that when shifted into reverse goes the fastest. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/2 "2026-03-31T11:22:22Z")
This page is claiming a stock Corvette C7 has (had) the Guinness record for going the fastest in reverse at 53mph. > **[“Fastest Mile in Reverse” record set at NCM Motorsports Park](https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/fastest-mile-in-reverse-reco/201058/page1/)** > > “Fastest Mile in Reverse” record set at NCM Motorsports Park It looks like the current record holder is a Rimac Nevera, going 170+ mph backwards, but from what I can tell, they only made 150 of them and I’m not finding production numbers on the car before it, a Caterham 7 Fireblade. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/3 "2026-03-31T11:22:49Z")
You might want to limit this to internal combustion engine cars, since electric cars can go the same speed in reverse as they do forward due to no gears. Seeing a electric that can do 275 kmh in reverse. A brand I never heard of called Rimac out of Europe ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/4 "2026-03-31T11:23:18Z")
Do you want to count 2 stroke engines that could be started “backwards”, thus allowing use of all forward gears but with the car going in the opposite direction? E.g. old Saabs. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/5 "2026-03-31T11:25:49Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > You might want to limit this to internal combustion engine cars, since electric cars can go the same speed in reverse as they do forward due to no gears. But I’d WAG, rolling off the line, the computer limits the speed to something more reasonable. I’m assuming when the OP mentioned ‘stock’ they were talking about not modifying anything mechanical (engine, transmission etc) but I feel like that should cover the motor controller(s) in an EV. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/6 "2026-03-31T11:32:49Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Seeing a electric that can do 275 kmh in reverse. A brand I never heard of called Rimac out of Europe Very limited production number. I believe a previous poster mentioned 150. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/7 "2026-03-31T11:34:34Z")
Exactly. Straight off the line, no aftermarket tinkering. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/8 "2026-03-31T11:35:50Z")
Just for kicks, I looked up what car they were driving in the movie ET, it was an Audi 5000S, which I’m seeing reports of being able to get up to about 30mph in reverse. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Very limited production number. I believe a previous poster mentioned 150. > **[Rimac Nevera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimac_Nevera)** > > The Rimac Nevera (pronounced: \[rǐːmat͡s něʋeːra\]) is an all-electric sports car designed and manufactured by the Croatian automotive manufacturer Rimac Automobili. The first production prototype car was released in August 2021. Nevera production has been limited to 150 vehicles. Having completed crash testing for homologation, Rimac planned to deliver the Nevera to customers in mid-2022. The first production spec Nevera was delivered in August 2022. Deliveries to the Un The car was unveiled at... > Nevera production has been limited to 150 vehicles ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/9 "2026-03-31T11:40:09Z")
Interesting that you bring that one up. When researching I found this little nugget: [“Fastest Mile in Reverse” record set at NCM Motorsports Park| Grassroots Motorsports forum |](https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/fastest-mile-in-reverse-reco/201058/page1/) “I bought a new Saab 9-5 Aero in 2003, and a free 2-day driving course with Saab-maintained stock Aero cars and conducted by professional race drivers at Road Atlanta came as a bonus. While being schooled on the skid pad, one participant asked if the cars would do 155 as advertised, and the pros all agreed they had driven these cars on the track and confirmed they were assuredly electronically-limited to 155. One of the half dozen pro drivers, being a wild and crazy Italian, can’t recall his name, excused himself without saying anything, then reappeared five minutes later in a stock Saab 9-5 Aero, automatic, 4-door sedan… flying across the (dry) skid pad with the electronic limiter chattering loudly. He returned with a big smile and said “70 MPH rev limited.” Might not be certifiable by Guinness, but good enough for me.” ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/12 "2026-03-31T22:07:45Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It looks like the current record holder is a Rimac Nevera, going 170+ mph backwards Is it really possible to drive that fast in reverse (and not crash into something)? I would think it would fishtail like mad at that speed. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/13 "2026-03-31T22:11:16Z")
I mean, you can drive forward fast in a car with rear-wheel drive. And some electric vehicles have a motor on every wheel, because that’s fairly easy to do with electric. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/14 "2026-03-31T22:13:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I mean, you can drive forward fast in a car with rear-wheel drive. The problem isn’t the real wheel drive, it’s the rear wheel _steering_ when you go backwards. Once you get any real speed, the slightest bit of over steering is going to make the car try and spin around. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/15 "2026-03-31T22:26:56Z")
I suspect it might actually be a car from the Dutch company DAF. Although the cars themselves had a reputation for being slow, all DAF cars used an early type of continuously variable transition (CVT) branded as the Variomatic. An unusual feature of these transmissions was that they allowed the car to go just as fast in reverse as the could going forward, as a commenter notes in this article: [https://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/cc-global-daf-66-four-decades-of-dutch-continuous-variability/](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/cc-global-daf-66-four-decades-of-dutch-continuous-variability/) Apparently backwards racing is a thing in the Netherlands thanks to the DAF. ETA: I should have read the thread before posting. I doubt the DAF can go as fast as the cars mentioned previously. But it is still interesting to note that they can go just as fast in reverse as they can forward. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/18 "2026-03-31T23:08:51Z")
Not your fault. The issue is a setting at YouTube on the vid itself. The url you posted is fine and _ought_ to work. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/19 "2026-03-31T23:18:11Z")
In 1930, [two people drove from NYC to LA in reverse](https://www.garycrossleyford.com/blog/today-in-ford-history/ford-model-as-amazing-reverse-road-trip-july-26th-1930/). Not sure what their top speed was, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/20 "2026-03-31T23:28:04Z")
Once again, it does not fulfill the requirements posted in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/22 "2026-04-01T00:35:16Z")
Any production cars that follow the rules set in the OP, past or present ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2026, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/24 "2026-04-01T00:55:46Z")
The Saab 93 has a top speed of 72mph, assuming the aerodynamics going backwards don’t limit that. If you don’t want any tricks with spinning a 2 stroke backwards you’ll be hard pressed to beat the C7 mentioned up thread. Corvette gearing is nuts. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2026, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/25 "2026-04-01T01:02:53Z")
This is almost certainly bunk. I plugged everything I could find on the 9-5 aero into a gearing calculator and came up with 42mph at 7k rpm for the automatic. 38mph for the manual. The ratios I found might be off a big depending on specifics but 70mph doesn’t seem realistic. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903/27 "2026-04-01T01:23:30Z")
I missed your post about the crown vic hitting 60mph in reverse. Based on what I’m seeing for 4R70W transmission ratios in 95, the P71 would have had a theoretical top speed in reverse of about 78 mph, and the civilian model with its more pedestrian final drive a whopping 93mph! I’ve never had a car that has a governor specific for reverse. The crown vic is limited to 110 and the P71 to 127, but my google-fu is coming up blank for a second governor just for R. I think the crown vic might be the champion here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-modified-street-legal-car-goes-the-fastest-in-reverse/1028903.md?page=2)